Percussion musical instruments utilize a variety of beaters one type of which is commonly known as a brush. Such brushes typically are formed of a multiplicity of resilient fine wires secured together at one end with the main length thereof fanned out in a common plane under the constraint provided by the flattened forward end of a tubular handle. Drum beaters of this type are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: namely Goldrich 2,485,322; Goldrich 2,085,823; Goldrich 2,513,930; Sage 3,150,555; Cordes 3,420,134; Calato 4,028,983; and Phreaner 4,200,026. These prior brushes are subject to certain disadvantages and limitations avoided by this invention. For example the musical sounds generated thereby are of such a low level that they are readily masked and over-ridden by the sounds generated by other instruments customarily present when brushes are employed. This drawback is so pronounced that some musical groups must use special microphones and amplifying devices positioned to pick up brush sounds. Such an expedient is subject to limitations in many instances owing to the fact that a sizable group of percussion instruments are often utilized making it necessary to utilize several different types of microphones for satisfactory results. Another objectional characteristic of prior brush beaters is the fact that the individual bristles or filaments are subject to whipping, i.e. flexing backwardly during the forward movement of the brushes which not only minimizes the amplitude of the sound produced but renders it slightly off beat or out of phase with the sounds being produced by other instruments. Moreover prior brushes are difficult to manipulate when playing rapid or the more difficult percussive techniques.
Other and serious shortcomings of prior brushes is the fact that the slender size of the filaments employed renders them subject to bending, distortion, twisting and breakage. This risk is so great that most brushes are utilized with hollow handles into which the bristles or filaments are retracted for safe storage when not in use. The need for these expendients renders the construction relatively complex and costly.